Phantoms
by Sokorra Lewis
Summary: Regan Smith and his wife Morgan didn't think thier pasts would catch up with them.  But that all changed when thier daughter recieves a letter from Hogwarts, a school both know well.
1. Prolouge: The Letter

_This is a story I actually started awhile ago, and which will hopefully still be in somewhat un-AU-ish form when Deathly Hallows come out. But if it isn't, I'm not going to change things unless it's something really really big._

_It was supposed to be a one-shot but I think it may be 2 or 3 more chapters. This is Post OoTP and takes place during the opener of HBP. It also may be considered as part of my Athena series, but you don't have to read either one to read the other. _

_Caledonia Street__ is a real street near King's Cross Station. However, I'm unsure how they do addresses in __England_

* * *

Prologue: 

July, 1996

They say that the past always catches up with you, and they weren't wrong. For Regan Smith, it caught up to him in the form of creamy parchment, red wax, and think black strokes of ink.

The day had started like any other. He had awoken, did his morning routine beside his wife Morgan. The two had been married for thirteen years, but he never quite got used to waking up to her smiling face every morning. It was probably part of his pessimistic nature, but sometimes he didn't understand what he did to deserve her.

After getting ready for work, they would go and wake up their three children. The oldest Sapphire took the longest to wake, and he always got the honors of waking her. This morning, she had been most reluctant. He smiled and picked her up off the bed and started to carry her out of the room, her screaming and laughing to put her down. The nine year old twins stood outside their room, laughing at their older sister. Morgan stood behind them, shaking her head and smiling as she put her red hair into a pony tail.

"Reg, put her down. Sapphire, you need to get ready." Sapphire groaned as her father put her down and walked sluggishly into her room. "And you have ten minutes, or you'll miss breakfast," Morgan added as she led the two boys downstairs.

He and Morgan ran a restaurant in a building that adjourned their house. He was the cook while Morgan managed the business aspects of it. They got fairly steady business due to their close location to a major train station, Kings Cross, but luckily they didn't have to open till later in the morning so they could spend a hour with their children before they were off to school, or in this case, their day camp since it was late July.

Morgan was searching through the mail as Regan got the children's breakfasts ready. The boys were already digging into their Lucky Charms when Sapphire came down. Regan tried not to laugh when he saw that his daughter had decided to raid Morgan's make up. Since she was turning eleven soon, Sapphire had been petitioning her parents to allow her to wear makeup. However, apparently she decided she was done waiting for them to allow her, and she took some herself.

"Sapph!" Morgan sighed shaking her head. Putting the mail on the counter, she pulled her not-so-happy daughter to the sink to clean off the make-up. Morgan had a feeling that this increased need to be an adult was because Sapphire had started to notice that boys weren't all that icky. According to Becky, the teenager who watched the kids when neither Morgan nor Regan could, the two had run into a few students at King Cross and Sapphire had been smitten with one of them, a redhead. Regan had found this amusing and slightly sad because while the whole part of his daughter having a crush amused him, the idea that she was getting old enough to have one made him realize how fast she was growing up.

"Hey, look!" Arren, who had taken up his mother's job of sorting the mail, pointed towards the window. His brother James joined him at the window where a large White owl sat perched. Frowning, Ragen walked towards the window and opened the window and watched as the bird flew into the room. The kids were entertained by the bird and Sapphire walked up to it with a piece of her cheerios, which the bird took. She giggled as the bird ate the piece of cereal and turned to her parents with a look that clearly asked _can we keep it?_ However, both parents were not focused on their daughter, but on the bird that had dropped a parchment envelope on the kitchen table. One that had a clear black crest and writing on the front.

_Sapphire Reye Smith  
__First Door from the Stairs  
__13 Caledonia Street  
__London, England_

Regan and Morgan Smith did not know what it was.

However, Regulus and Morgan Black did.


	2. Chapter 1: 1981

Chapter One:

November 3, 1981

He hated this. He couldn't get away from the news broadcast. So here he was at the local pub, trying his best to get so drunk he couldn't hear the words they spoke anymore.

_Today, Sirius Black was apprehended and charged with the murder of 13 people, including his best friend James Potter and his wife Lily Evans-Potter. Authorities say he has been put into a high security prison but will not disclose the location…. _

_Sirius Black, the suspect in an explosion that killed 13 people and the murders of two residents of Godric's Hollow was imprisoned today. The Minister has…_

_Sirius Black…murder…._

He slammed his drink on the table, causing a few of the other patrons to glance his way, as well as the red-headed bar keeper. She raised an eyebrow and was probably the only one to keep watching him when the others turned back to discuss Sirius Black and his awful crime.

"So what was it?"

"What?" He looked over her, confused and a little drunk wondering what the hell she was going on about.

"What is it that has you drinking yourself away in this place?" He snorted and went back to his drink.

"I'm sure you hear enough stories around here. You don't need to hear mine."

"Was it a girl?"

"No," he said with a laugh, "I can't recall the last time there was the opportunity for a woman to cause me trouble."

"What is it then? You'll feel better to tell me then keeping it inside," She said with a smile. He had to admit, upset and drunk as he was that she was quite attractive. She kind of reminded him of his brother's friend….the muggleborn. Lilith? Lauren? Lily? Anyway, they both had long red hair although the girl in front of him had it in a darker shade. Her eyes were a hazel, leaning towards brown rather then green. And she certainly had nothing to be ashamed of when it came to her body even if it was curvier then what was considered fashionable. He gave her one of his grins, that usually gave the girl in receiving the idea of what exactly on his mind, but she just raised an eyebrow.

"That's not going to work with me, mister." She smiled and refilled his glass. "So, spill."

"You're annoying, you know." He said before downing down the glass, which did get him another raised eyebrow. Damn. She was seeing that as proof that she was right.

"Of course I am; I'm right." She took the glass away this time. "I'm Morgan Spencer, if that makes you feel any better."

"Regan Smith." Took him ages to remember that name, as close as it was to his real one. But after 2 years he was used to pretending he was someone he wasn't: Regan the muggle.

"So, Regan, I take it your upset about the big news story. Did you have a relative or a friend involved?" She had a sympathetic tone to her voice as she stated her assumption.

"In a manner of speaking." He sighed. He might as well. The girl was a muggle, she wouldn't know anything. "I grew up with Sirius Black."

"I'm sorry."

"He didn't do it."

"What makes you say that?" She was curious now about his brother. It didn't sound like she was accusing him of anything.

"Sirius wouldn't have killed anyone if he could help it, especially not his best friend. He almost got a….associate of ours seriously injured when he was 15 and he never really got over that particular lapse in judgment and he hated the guy with a passion. I can't see him doing the same thing to someone he loved, or someone he didn't know."

"You loved him." She said. "I'm assuming here that he's a relative of sorts. You don't seem to be interested in guys, but I suppose I could be wrong."

"No, your right," he said with a smile. But the smile faded away as he thought about his brother. How did you explain their relationship? They had been very close when they were younger, but once Sirius had started school things had started to grow distant between them. Sirius had his own friends, ones who didn't want to hang out with the ickle baby brother, and his parents certainly didn't approve of him associating with muggleborns and "muggle lovers" so that canceled that out completely. Sirius changed over the years, growing further and further apart from the family, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing but he had missed his brother. He had never really connected with anyone the way he had with his brother when he was younger. He had friends, certainly, but not close friends.

"Sirius has a daughter, you know," he stated after a few minutes of silence. "She's four years old right now; she'll be five in March. Her name is Elizara." And from one of the few times he had actually had a chance to see Zara; he knew full well she'd be a heartbreaker one day. She had inherited her father's good looks and her mother's ability to use it to her greatest advantage. The last time he had seen her had been when she was two and he had seen her wrangle the usually stick-to-his-guns Remus into giving her the cookies her mother didn't want her to have.

"That's nice, different, but nice." Morgan stated with a smile. "They never stated he had a family of his own."

"They wouldn't. They want to paint a picture of a monster, someone to blame, and someone one wouldn't find living next door to you raising a family."

"They will have a trial." She stated softly. He just snorted and took another drink that he didn't remember her giving him.

"He's a scapegoat. Even if they have a trial, which I doubt, they'll put as much false evidence to prove without a doubt that it was my brother who killed those people and not someone else."

"Your brother?" Her face showed a bit of recognition.

"Shit." He laid his head on the table. _You are an IDIOT_, he thought to himself. He had just blown his cover with one word.

"I won't tell anyone, you know." Morgan tilted her head. "I doubt anyone would believe me or not. They all believe your dead." He raised his head in shock. "Yes, now that you said it, I've recognized you as Regulus Black," she responded in a whisper. "You were only a year or two ahead of me in Hogwarts and everyone in my dorm had a crush on you." She paused and smiled. "Mostly because they were too young to be interested in your older brother." Although I have to say I find it odd that a rumored Death Eater would be sitting in a muggle pub trying to drink himself out of hearing his big brother on the news."

"Well, it was either that or risk the wrath of my fellow followers. I put a crimp in their battle plans." There was no way in hell he was going to tell her what exactly he did. No one knew, except for Voldemort (he assumed) and Dumbledore who had rescued him from the cave. She also didn't need to know that he actually did die for a few minutes

"Voldemort is dead," she stated turning her head sideways and cleaning another glass before filling it and sending it to another customer. It wasn't too busy tonight.

"That's good news." Morgan looked at him for awhile, as trying to figure out wither to like him or not now that she knew what he had done the past couple of years.

"I'm a muggleborn, if you must know." She said. Obviously trusting him enough not to go berserk on her. Besides she had blackmail material. Her smile let him know that she wasn't afraid to use if it necessary. She would have made a good Slytherin.

"Scared you might offend me?" he said with a smirk. He had learned by now to change his thinking on muggles. When you live around people, your opinions of them change. "What house."

"Ravenclaw, actually. Just graduated a few months ago. Decided I didn't want to deal with magic anymore. So I'm probably in the same boat you're in." She paused and looked at a clock. "If you want you can come with me when I get off. I can supply alcohol and no radio or television to listen to."

Morgan hadn't been completely truthful with Regulus. She had recognized him off the bat, but had assumed she had to be wrong because there was no way Regulus was alive. Her dorm mates had crushed on him…but not a lot. He was handsome, but not quite as handsome as his brother, although most of the girls didn't really know Sirius, since he was a good five years older then them. She only knew him because she had been Lily's tutoring student during their seventh year and had met James and his friends a couple of times. Her friends affections for Regulus were more of admiring him as he walked by then anything active. No, for that they had someone else.

She was a muggleborn, and her parents had died last year while she was away at Hogwarts so she had given up both magic and moved away from where she lived to start a new. Where no one had heard of Voldemort. But when she had saw him enter the bar a few nights ago, she knew that she had missed having someone who understood what she was going through and had kept an eye out on him, making sure he didn't get too drunk.

She supposed it could be seen as she targeted him that night, knowing he'd feel worse then usual. She didn't remember the relationship between the two brothers, but she had heard rumors of that family and she could imagine. Bringing him home seemed like a good idea once he started to babble about the magical world if only to keep the other muggle patrons unaware of the world.

However, she hadn't expected him to fall asleep as soon as they got into her flat. He looked so innocent when he was asleep, and more like his brother then she had realized. It was still true that Sirius was more handsome, but Regulus Black had not been spared the gene. He just was a bit more subtle then his older brother. Which was probably true on a lot of accounts. What she could remember from school is that he certainly had been quieter then is brother. He seemed to be quite intelligent because she remembered a friend discussing the fact that the Slytherin Seeker had also one of the best test scores for his year.

She put a blanket over him on the couch and went to get ready to go to bed herself. She wondered what exactly he had done that had caused him to fake his death and hide away in the muggle world. He wasn't disguising himself too much, but no one would be looking for him, especially not those who knew him, since they wouldn't expect a former Death Eater to be living with muggles. His hair was slightly longer then she remembered, but it suited him and he had the beginnings of a beard but she wasn't sure if that was an attempt to disguise himself or a lack of time for shaving.

She'd have to get more out of him when he woke up. More about why his brother being in jail bothered him, why he was so certain Sirius was innocent and why he was being a muggle after spending his life hating them.


	3. Chapter 2: Panic

Chapter Two:

Panic was setting in. Regulus and Morgan had sent their children off to camp, promising to explain everything to them when they got home that afternoon, called their restaurant and fixed it so someone else was filling their shifts. That way they had the entire day to mull over their options.

The letter had welcomed Sapphire into Hogwarts, with the attachment that a professor from the school and some other students would make a visit later in the evening to explain things further if necessary. While Morgan feared what letting their daughter do magic would bring, Regulus feared who exactly was Professor Malfoy.

There were several options. It could Lucius, though he doubted it because as much as Dumbledore was a fool sometimes he wouldn't put such a man in a teaching position. Lucius was just not the best option, not to mention he'd probably think it something beneath him. There was Narcissa, but while she probably make an excellent runes teacher she probably would not have offered to welcome a muggleborn student. Which really only left Athena but as far as he knew his brother had married the girl before he was in prison. Or at least he should have. There was probably no woman out there better suited for Sirius then Athena Marie Malfoy. She was as headstrong as her boyfriend/husband and probably could keep Sirius in line when his temper got in the way of rational thought, which happened from time to time.

"Well, we can't _not_ let her train at Hogwarts. Untrained magic is often worse then those who know what they can do with it and knowing Sapphire, she'd figure out how to tap into her magic with or without the teaching." Morgan said as she sat down on the couch beside her husband. "And it is safe there, with Dumbledore still in charge."

"Dumbledore isn't the end all, Morgan." She sighed and rolled her eyes, knowing full well that Regulus wasn't too fond of Dumbledore…respected the older wizard yes, but didn't like him. "But you have a point."

"Thank you," she said sarcastically. He gave a pointed look. "But having thought it over I think it would be the best thing. She'll know how to protect herself. And maybe if she learns the charm to making one's bed, she'll actually start doing it," she joked rubbing his shoulder. She understood that this was harder for him then her. She had come back to what she had been used to for the first ten years of her life, hadn't changed her identity. She had just stopped using magic, or talking to her friends that did. He on the other had had given up everything he was used to. He had grown up surrounded by magic, surrounded by the idea that muggles were inferior. He had such a hard time adjusting to being a muggle when he became one that putting himself back in, even vicariously, seemed like a stupid thing to do. There was little worry that someone would recognize him as Regulus Black. It had been 17 years since the former Slytherin had gone by that name and everyone thought he was dead. Only his brother perhaps could have figured it but she doubted that as well.

She had started to think about going back a few years ago anyway. For the past year or so, Regulus had been suffering pain attacks due to the dark mark on his arm. She had explained it away to their children and friends that he had infected tattoo that never really seemed to heal, which was true enough. But sometimes he would be in such pain that she wondered if she should see if a healer from St. Mungos could have something to give him for it. She knew that it hurt because he was resisting the call, but even she wouldn't suggest he give in. It wouldn't suit him now, especially after all that he had done, to give in. Besides he was a Slytherin, and like Gryffindors stubborn as all get out. She knew he wouldn't go to St. Mungos even if she suggested it. He would be afraid of being found out and bringing harm to their family.

Sometimes she really wished she could go back in time and shoot Tom Riddle. Then she wouldn't have to worry about all this, and just be discussing with her daughter what house she was going to be sorted into and wither she'd try out for quiddich her second year.

* * *

Sapphire was not happy. She was old enough to realize that showing this fact would bring attention she didn't want, so she sat in a corner of the day camp center working on her drawing while she thought. Her brothers were still upset that they hadn't found out what was in the letter she had received but she had noticed her parent's expressions. They knew without opening the letter what was inside and they were _scared._

She was not an idiot. She knew full well that her parents had not-so-good childhoods. She could remember times when her mother or father would start to tell a story and abruptly stop. Particularly her father. Mom would tell stories all the time about her family, but her father would always look sad when anyone asked him. She knew he had to have one…even at eleven she knew that babies did not come from storks, no matter what people may tell you.

She had only seen her dad look that scared once, when someone had pulled him into the lake when they went to visit Aunt Virginia. Her father hated deep bodies of water. Every time they went somewhere to swim, he never did and as far as she knew he didn't like baths (but to be honest, she didn't care). Apparently Mom understood his fear, but everyone had been surprised when he had started to freak out.

Mom had that worried look on her face every time Dad had one his attacks. Remembering them made Sapphire sad. She really worried about it. Her Dad was one of those people you never saw crying. But a few weeks ago she saw him crying in pain as he held his arm, lying in his bed. It just didn't seem right that something like that would make her father cry.

So to see those expressions on their faces when it was just the mail told her that there was something wrong about her getting that piece of mail. She had made up her mind. She wouldn't accept it. If her parents feared it, then that was reason she should.

* * *

By the time the children had arrived home, Morgan and Regulus had come to decision. Sapphire would go to Hogwarts if only to learn how to better protect herself. They had explained that she was a witch to the three children, but Sapphire only frowned while the boys continued wondering what their sister could do and if they would get the letter when they got to be eleven as well. Morgan smiled when Regulus assured them that they would get one…after all he still couldn't picture any of their children being squibs. While he had given up most of the prejudices that he had grown up on, there was still a few here and there. He was still very proud of his magical linage, if not the people in it.

She explained to them about how Hogwarts was a private school that Sapphire would be going to during the year but she'd be able to come home during the holidays. The boys were excited at having the house without the girl in it (she smiled and asked what was she and got the response that she was a mom and that made her different) but Sapphire was not as enthusiastic about it.

"I don't want to go." She stated with a quiet voice. "It can't be that great. You guys didn't think it was so great this morning." Morgan sighed and looked over at her husband.

"Your mother and I were concerned this morning, that's all. It has been a very long time since we heard anything about the magical world it seemed a little odd to be seeing it once again."

"Wait…so you're a wizard too?" James asked, sharing a look with his brother."

"Yes." They looked at him, expecting more and Morgan rolled her eyes. Regulus was being shut in again.

"Your father and I went to Hogwarts ourselves when we were your age. He was in Slytherin and I was in..."

"Slytherin?" Sapphire asked.

"Well, Hogwarts is divided into houses…teams I guess you could say. There are four of them. I was in Ravenclaw while your father was in Slytherin. There was also Hufflepuff and Gryffindor." She sighed when she got blank looks from them and the fact that her husband was laughing at her. Sending him a glare, she turned back to the kids. "You'll understand more when you get there."

A little after supper, the guests arrived. The boys were the first to the door, and had already opened it before Morgan or Regulus could actually get there. Morgan made it to the door to welcome the professor but Regulus stopped at the end of the hall.

It was Athena Malfoy. Regulus hadn't seen her since before he had left. Probably 77. The one time he had seen Zara, she hadn't been home. But she had always been more believing in him then his brother, but it could be because they shared the same house and understood each other a little more.

Behind her stood a few people who looked to be ranging from fourth year to sixth, maybe seventh. One he recognized as Harry Potter (is there anyone else who looked so much like James) but he didn't recognize the redheaded boy (Probably a Weasley though, looked like that friend of Thena's) or the girl. However he knew the other boy could be nothing but his nephew. Sure there were some slight differences, some Malfoy-isque qualities but he looked almost exactly like his brother. He must have been born after Sirius was in prison because the one time he had ventured to see him (pretending that Regan Smith wanted to see his cousin's killer) he didn't seem to know anything about a son. He had only mentioned Zara, his then seven year old daughter.

"Hello, Mrs. Smith, I'm Professor Athena Malfoy. Minerva said you would be expected me." Athena gave Morgan a smile.

"Yes, she said a Professor Malfoy and some students would come to explain to us some of the Hogwarts information we received." Morgan looked back at him as she led them inside. "This is my husband, Regan and the three children are Arren, James and Sapphire."

"Well, with me is my son James Black, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, who was a muggleborn like Sapphire."

"Muggleborn?" Arren asked.

"A wizard or witch with non-magical parents." Regulus answered his son. Athena seemed to go still and turned to look at him. It was clear that while she might not have recognized his appearance (after all it had been 19 years) she had recognized his voice. She walked over to him and looked at him for awhile.

"Regulus?" He smiled at her.

"Hi, Thena. Miss me?" And as he watched her eyes change to a darker grey, he realized that was probably the last thing he should have said.


End file.
